This highly successful introduction to the world of politics has been fully revised and updated to explore the key issues of the 21st century. The new edition builds on the reputation for clarity and comprehensive coverage that has made previous editions essential reading for students of politics. The third edition of Politics: The Basics introduces all the key areas of politics, explaining all the basic ideas and terms, making it an ideal text for propsective undergraduate students and the general reader is clearly and accessibly written, making use of boxes, figures and tables to illustrate key issues has a wider international focus and includes a variety of case studies and examples contains brand new material on postmodernism, terrorism, information technology, globalization and the media features an appendix which gives guidance to a variety of useful political sources, including books, newspapers and the Internet as well as information on politics courses and associations.
Basics of Global Politics is an introduction to world politics for any beginner political science student. This book reviews domestic and international politics, reviews political ideologies, and explores additional critical lenses, such as feminist and environmental theory. Features: In-depth analysis of realism, liberalism, and constructivism Explains changing approaches to international relations after major global conflicts Discusses global trends, obstacles, and developing identities in international relations Contents Part 1: Basics of Global Politics Chapter 1: Basic Concepts, Actors, and Influences Chapter 2: The Rise of Modern Politics Part II: Theories of Global Politics Chapter 3: Power Politics Chapter 4: Liberalism and Alternatives to Power Politics Chapter 5: Social and Gender Theories Part III: Global Structures and Processes Chapter 6: Foreign Policy Chapter 7: State and Non-State Violence: War and Terrorism Chapter 8: Security and Military Power Chapter 9: International Organizations, International Law, and Human Security Chapter 10: NGOs and World Politics Chapter 11: Global and Regional Governance Part IV: Globalization and its Impact Chapter 12: International Political Economy and Globalization Chapter 13: Global Trends in Business and Finances Chapter 14: Development, North-South Gap, and International Aid Chapter 15: Environment and Population Chapter 16: Identities in International Relations Glossary Contributors Index
This book explains American politics in simple terms. It is a manual that discusses the U.S. political system as well as U.S. foreign policy focusing on case studies from current events all over the world. Each section is written like a straightforward uncomplicated lesson. The book is simple, short and factual. The book is also designed to be read quickly for the purpose of gaining knowledge about American internal politics and external geopolitical relationships. The first three sections focus on the American Political system: The U.S. Constitution, the U.S. government and the electoral process. The next 8 sections focus on foreign policy with specific case studies. 1. Canada and Mexico. 2. NATO, Great Britain, France and Germany. 3. Russia. 4. The Arab-Israeli Conflict. 5. Saudi Arabia and Iran. 6. Syria and Iraq. 7. Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. 8. China, Japan and the Koreas. The last section discusses the U.S. role in the world today. At the end of every section there is a "food for thought" to challenge the reader about the particular case study.The book has around 100 references in the bibliography.
Now in its second edition, here is one of the first and only issue-based nonpartisan guides to contemporary American politics. It’s a very exciting time in American politics. Voter turnout in primaries and caucuses across the nation has shattered old records. More than ever, in this election year people are paying attention to the issues. But in a world of sound bites and deliberate misinformation and a political scene that is literally colored by a partisan divide—blue vs. red—how does the average educated American find a reliable source that’s free of political spin? What You Should Know About Politics . . . But Don’t breaks it all down, issue by issue, explaining who stands for what, and why, whether it’s the economy, the war in Iraq, health care, oil and renewable energy sources, or climate change. If you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or somewhere in between, it’s the perfect book to brush up on a single topic or read through to get a deeper understanding of the often mucky world of American politics.
Learn about how the world of government and power works in The Politics Book. Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Politics in this overview guide to the subject, great for novices looking to find out more and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Politics Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in. This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Politics, with: - More than 100 groundbreaking ideas in the history of political thought - Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts - A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout - Easy to follow text makes topics accessible for people at any level of understanding The Politics Book is a captivating introduction to the world's greatest thinkers and their political big ideas that continue to shape our lives today, aimed at adults with an interest in the subject and students wanting to gain more of an overview. Delve into the development of long-running themes, like attitudes to democracy and violence, developed by thinkers from Confucius in ancient China to Mahatma Gandhi in 20th-century India, all through exciting text and bold graphics. Your Politics Questions, Simply Explained This engaging overview explores the big political ideas such as capitalism, communism, and fascism, exploring their beginnings and social contexts - and the political thinkers who have made significant contributions. If you thought it was difficult to learn about governing bodies and affairs, The Politics Book presents key information in a clear layout. Learn about the ideas of ancient and medieval philosophers and statesmen, as well as the key personalities of the 16th to the 21st centuries that have shaped political thinking, policy, and statecraft. The Big Ideas Series With millions of copies sold worldwide, The Politics Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.
This textbook introduces the scientific study of politics, supplying students with the basic tools to be critical consumers and producers of scholarly research.
The simplest way to get to grips with the American political system American Politics For Dummies is an engaging and accessible guide to the inner workings of the U.S. government, cutting through the political jargon, to give you the facts. The book begins with the basics, including government structure and processes, and later covers current events that make the news. The world of American politics can be bewildering to anyone not born and bred in the U.S.A. This plain-English guide is perfect whether you are a student or simply fascinated by the world's most powerful democracy. From the electoral process to 'special relationships', you discover all you need to know with American Politics For Dummies. • The birth of America – find out about the emergence of the US,from the ideas upon which America was founded to the creation of the US Constitution • Go government – understand the powers of the President, how Congress operates, the function of the Supreme Court and how US laws are created and passed • Party on – discover the ins and outs of elections and political parties, from the electoral process and the two-party system to the voting behaviour amongst Americans • One nation, many identities – get to understand the workings of a truly multicultural society • All the world’s a stage – grasp the grand strategy of the US to understand why the nation acts as it does in international politics 2014 kicks off the latest round of U.S. Congressional election and marks the beginning the 2016 Presidential election cycle. There will be headlines, there will be debate and there will be news. If you're looking to keep up and understand it all, American Politics For Dummies is a great place to start.
Providing students of economics, politics, and policy with a concise explanation of public choice, markets, property, and political and economic processes, this record identifies what kinds of actions are beyond the ability of government. Combining public choice with studies of the value of property rights, markets, and institutions, this account produces a much different picture of modern political economy than the one accepted by mainstream political scientists and welfare economists. It demonstrates that when citizens request that their governments do more than it is possible, net benefits are reduced, costs are increased, and wealth and freedom are diminished. Solutions are also suggested with the goal to improve the lot of those who should be the ultimate sovereigns in a democracy: the citizens.
No scholar better exemplifies the intellectual challenges foisted on the Neorealist school of international relations than prominent scholar Stephen Krasner (Graham H. Stuart Professor of International Studies, the Senior Associate Dean for the Social Sciences, School of Humanities & Sciences, and Director of Policy Planning at the US State Department 2005-2007). Throughout his career he has wrestled with realism's promises and limitations. Krasner has always been a prominent defender of realism and the importance of power understood in material terms, whether military or economic. Yet realist frameworks rarely provided a complete explanation for outcomes, in Krasner's analyses, and much of his work involved understanding power's role in situations not well explained by realism. If states seek power, why do we see cooperation? If hegemony promotes cooperation why does cooperation continue in the face of America's decline? Do states actually pursue their national interests or do domestic structures and values derail the rational pursuit of material objectives? Krasner's explanations were as diverse as were the problems. They pushed, to use his phrase, "the limits of realism." Edited by Martha Finnemore and Judith Goldstein, Back to Basics asks scholars to reflect on the role power plays in contemporary politics and how a power politics approach is influential today. The arguments made by the authors in this volume speak to one of three themes that run through Krasner's work: state power and hegemony; the relationship between states and markets; conceptions of the nation state in international politics. These themes appeared regularly in Krasner's scholarship as he wrestled, over his career, with fundamental questions of inter-state politics. Contributors largely agree on the centrality of power but diverge substantially on the ways power is manifest and should be measured and understood. Many of the contributors confronted the same intellectual dilemmas as Krasner in struggling to define power and its relationship to interests, yet their responses are different. Together, these essays explore new ways of thinking about power's role in contemporary politics and demonstrate the concepts continued relevance for both policy and theory.
